Misleading robocalls originated from the same computer IP address used by a worker on the campaign of Guelph Conservative candidate Marty Burke, according to Elections Canada documents

Conservative candidate Marty Burke, left, chats with Michael Sona, a campaign worker, before an election rally in Guelph last April.

By:Tonda MacCharlesOttawa Bureau, Published on Fri May 04 2012

OTTAWA—Misleading robocalls originated from the same computer IP address used by a worker on the campaign of Guelph Conservative candidate Marty Burke, according to new court documents filed by Elections Canada.

“At a minimum,” writes Mathews, the computer log information means the two “used the same computer” on May 1 at around 9 p.m., “and that a single computer appears to have been used to access RackNine — the Edmonton-based automated dialing and voice broadcast service — both directly and by way of the proxy server on several occasions.”

The Guelph telephone numbers that were called appear to match — but have not been confirmed as — a list of identified non-Conservative supporters possibly downloaded from the party’s computerized constituent information and issue management system, according to Mathews, who said inquires are ongoing with the Conservative Party.

But Mathews stops short of making a direct link to Prescott as he probes what has emerged as a sophisticated and complex effort to mislead voters.

Indeed, his affidavit also suggests others on the Burke campaign had at least openly discussed — but were warned against — dirty tricks.

The 28-page affidavit was released by an Ottawa court Friday after Elections Canada reported back that Rogers Communication had provided the computer documents needed to identify who is “Pierre Poutine.” But the report — called a “return” — does not say whether Elections Canada has now identified the culprit or where exactly the computer linked to the IP address in question is located.

Mathews outlines in detail the use of apparent aliases: “Pierre Jones” to set up an account with RackNine, and “Pierre Poutine” to set up an account with Bell Canada with the throwaway “burner” cellphone. He outlines how Pierre Jones used a free web-based proxy server, ostensibly to hide his originating IP address, and used untraceable pre-loaded credit cards to make PayPal payments for the misleading RackNine calls.

Prescott denies any responsibility for misleading calls.

He provided initial statements to Elections Canada, but cancelled a March 8 interview on the advice of his lawyer, after the robocalls investigation story first exploded onto the national political scene in late February.

Prescott told the investigator he made only legitimate use of RackNine during the Guelph campaign — six callouts he said he paid for out of his own pocket, and was reimbursed for. Burke’s campaign reported a $1,100 payment to Prescott for “salaries and wages.”

But nowhere did the Burke campaign report election expenses for using RackNine’s services for what appears to be at least 10 phone-callouts during the election period last spring, said Mathews.

The affidavit raised eyebrows around Ottawa Friday when Mathews revealed another Burke campaign worker, Michael Sona, twice discussed using political dirty tricks and was twice “warned off” by national and local party campaign workers.

Matthew McBain, who worked in the party’s campaign headquarters “war room,” said Sona once spoke to him “about a campaign of disinformation such as making a misleading poll moving call.” The affidavit quotes McBain as saying he warned Sona off such conduct “as the party would not stand for it.”

Christopher Crawford, a local Burke campaign worker who handled the party’s voter-identification data, said he overheard a conversation between Sona and Burke’s campaign manager, Ken Morgan, in which Sona “was describing ‘how the Americans do politics,’ using the examples of calling non-supporters late at night, pretending to be liberals, or calling electors to tell them their poll location had changed.’

“Crawford said he did not think Sona was serious, but he claims he did say to Sona, before leaving the office that evening that his comments were not appropriate.”

Sona quit abruptly as a political staffer in Ottawa but has also denied wrongdoing in the immediate wake of robocall revelations.

Prescott has told Elections Canada investigators that he gave RackNine’s contact information to Sona and Morgan.

Fred DeLorey, a spokesman for the Conservative Party of Canada, declined to discuss any of the questions raised by the Mathews affidavit.

“We have proactively reached out to Elections Canada and offered to assist them in any way we can. That includes handing over any documents or records that may assist them. We will not comment on specifics as we do not want to compromise any part of the investigation.”

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